Turpan, Xinjiang in October, has a crisp autumn breeze. At the foot of the Flame Mountain, the academic pearl at the intersection of millennium civilizations is shining with new brilliance. Recently, nearly 200 experts and scholars from 16 countries and regions gathered in this important Silk Road town to attend the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Turpan Studies Research Institute and the 7th Turpan Studies International Academic Symposium. Turpan studies have undergone a comprehensive 'rebirth' from the 'scattered and lost' remnants, transformed from the 'isolated evidence of the Western Regions' to the' Silk Road civilization ', and become an' internationally renowned study 'from a' obscure and rare '. ”Turpan Municipal Party Secretary Wen Tianping summarized the leapfrog development of this discipline in the past 20 years at the opening ceremony of the seminar. In 2005, the Turpan Studies Research Institute was officially established in the birthplace of Turpan studies. At that time, the study of Turpan still faced many challenges: scattered early academic exploration, unsystematic organization of cultural relics, and fragmented compilation of literature. "The ground and underground of Turpan Basin contain extremely rich historical and cultural heritage. From the Stone Age to the Zhou and Qin dynasties, down to the Ming and Qing dynasties, there are physical or written records of both Han people and various northern nationalities. The study of maintaining, organizing, and researching the historical and cultural heritage of this specific region is known as Turpan studies. ”Dunhuang Turpan scholar Chen Guocan once defined this discipline in this way. Looking back, the road to excavating and protecting Turpan documents was arduous and long. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, a large number of cultural relics and documents in Turpan were stolen and transported out of the country by foreign explorers and inspection teams, scattered around the world. The loss of these precious historical relics has attracted attention from the international academic community, but it has also made it difficult for relevant research in China. The turning point occurred from 1959 to 1975, when archaeologists in Xinjiang conducted 13 planned scientific excavations of the Astana Hara and Zhuogu tombs in Turpan, unearthing a large number of precious cultural relics. In 1975, the National Cutural Heritage Administration organized a team led by Professor Tang Changru of Wuhan University to sort out these documents, and published ten volumes of Turpan Unearthed Documents (recorded texts) and four volumes of Turpan Unearthed Documents (atlas), marking a new stage in the research of Chinese Turpan Studies. In 1983, a national research society, the Dunhuang Turpan Society of China, was established under the leadership of scholars such as the master of traditional Chinese culture Ji Xianlin. The name of Turpan studies was established, and Turpan studies took this opportunity to make significant progress. In the past 20 years, the Turpan Studies Research Institute has continuously promoted literature review and research work. In November 2018, the institute collaborated with publishing institutions to launch the compilation of the "Turpan Literature Collection". This monumental work, totaling 30 million words, is the "largest and most comprehensive collection of Turpan literature at home and abroad to date". Turpan, known as the "richest open-air archaeological museum in the world," has two world cultural heritage sites: Jiaohe Ancient City and Gaochang Ancient City. It preserves numerous ancient tombs, grottoes, beacon towers, murals, and more. In recent years, with the continuous advancement of archaeological work, the connotation of Turpan studies has been continuously enriched. From Jiayi Cemetery, Shengjindian Cemetery, Yanghai Ancient Tomb to Tuyugou Grottoes Temple, archaeological discoveries cover over 5000 years of history, encompassing various aspects of ancient ethnic politics, economy, culture, and more. The excavation of the Xibian Nestorian Temple Site is an important achievement in Turpan archaeology in recent years. Liu Wensuo, a professor at Sun Yat sen University and the head of the archaeological project at the Xibian Nestorian Temple Site, said, "The cultural relics and historical sites in Turpan are not only witnesses to history, but also tell vivid stories. The perspective of Turpan studies is shifting from regional to global. Peter Zimmer, a professor at the Turpan Studies Research Center of the Brandenburg Academy of Sciences in Berlin, Germany, said that Turpan is not only a "pearl of the Silk Road", but also an important hub for the development of ancient diverse religions and cultures, leaving a profound imprint on the cultural exchange between the East and the West. With the promotion of the "the Belt and Road" initiative, Turfan Studies ushered in new opportunities for development. Meng Xianshi, a professor at the School of History of Renmin University of China, said: "The the Belt and Road Initiative is constantly promoting the development of Turpan Studies, and the achievements of Turpan Studies have also contributed to the study of the ancient Silk Road." In the past 20 years, Turpan Studies has gradually developed from a "cold and unique learning" to a "world famous learning" that has attracted the attention of the academic community. The number of foreign guests attending this international academic seminar has reached a historic high, attracting renowned scholars from 16 countries and regions including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan. The seminar established four sub groups: Archaeology, Culture and Museology, Language and Religious Art, Historical Documents, and Cultural Relics Protection, covering eight key areas including the Chinese civilization elements reflected in Turpan's excavated history, religion, language and written materials. Rong Xinjiang, a liberal chair professor of Peking University and president of the Chinese Dunhuang and Turfan Society, said in his speech: "Turpan is a 'treasure basin', with more archaeological sites than Dunhuang, and new documents and cultural relics are constantly unearthed, so the prospect of Turfan Studies will be broader and the aftereffect will be stronger." He believed that in the near future, Turpan Studies Society and Dunhuang Studies will "fly together". In June 2006, with the approval of the Ministry of Personnel, the postdoctoral workstation of Xinjiang Turpan Academy of Sciences was established, becoming the first postdoctoral workstation in China's humanities and cultural heritage system. In July of this year, the "Turpan Studies Research Institute" of Xinjiang University was unveiled and established. The improvement of local research institutions and the growth of talent teams have laid a solid foundation for the sustainable development of Turpan studies. At present, the research results of Turpan studies are also promoting the development of local cultural tourism industry. The launch of a series of cultural and tourism integrated products, such as outdoor immersive tourism experience, night tour of Jiaohe, wonderful night at the museum, and grape valley study activities, in the Karez Folk Park scenic area, promotes tourists' transformation from scenic spot tourism to in-depth tourism, cultural and museum tourism, and study tours. Standing at a new starting point of the 20th anniversary, the Turpan Studies Research Institute is continuing to promote the internationalization and modernization of Turpan studies. With the continuous addition of young scholars, the widespread application of technological means, and the deepening of international cooperation, this academic pearl on the ancient Silk Road will surely shine even more brilliantly. (New Society)